After leaving Yonghe Palace, the Fourth Prince thought for a while and finally went to Yuqing Palace.
However, the Fourth Prince arrived at an inopportune time. The eunuchs from Yuqing Palace reported that the Crown Prince had just gone to the Imperial Household Department to pick out cats and dogs.
Many nobles in the palace loved to keep pets. For example, there was an Eagle House in Donghua Gate, which at one time kept thousands of eagles, most of which were tributes from local officials.
For example, Prince Zhi had kept a hawk before his marriage. After the marriage, because Lady Irgen Gioro was afraid of that thing, Prince Zhi sent it back to the hawk house and had the servants take good care of it.
I'd heard before that the Crown Prince liked to visit the deer enclosure in the Imperial Garden to see the gentle sika deer, but I didn't know when he developed an interest in cats and dogs.
The Fourth Prince was just passing by to see the Crown Prince, and he also happened to be going to the Imperial Household Department to urge the Seventh Prince to return the items that were still missing from his gift list.
"Go to the Imperial Household Department."
In the cat and dog room of the Imperial Household Department, the Crown Prince was bending over and stroking the fur of a pure white cat when he heard a servant announce that the Fourth Prince had arrived. He just smiled and said, "Quickly call the Fourth Prince over."
He knew that the fourth prince had kept two beloved dogs by his side after he ascended the throne.
The fourth prince had never been known to have any affections for the harem. However, he personally drew all the blueprints for his two beloved dogs and even found a Western painter to paint their portraits.
When the Fourth Prince strode in, the Crown Prince had already picked up the pure white cat.
"Fourth brother, come and take a look. The lion cat that the Shandong governor presented as tribute last year has rare heterochromia. What do you think?"
Heterochromia is a condition where one eye is yellow and the other is blue.
Most lion cats have blue or yellow eyes, but heterochromia (different colored eyes) is rare.
The Fourth Prince glanced at the cat licking its paws in the Crown Prince's arms, and paused before he could say, "Looks good."
The Fourth Prince didn't particularly like cats, but this cat reminded him of the little princess who looked so satisfied after dinner last night.
Especially those unique and beautiful eyes.
The Crown Prince said "Oh," surprised that his fourth son would be interested in cats at this time: "In that case, Fourth Son, why don't you take them back to the manor and keep them?"
The Fourth Prince did not agree, but asked first, "What brings the Crown Prince here today?"
The Crown Prince handed the cat in his arms to a servant beside him and laughed loudly: "I just suddenly realized that having a cat or dog by my side would make me less lonely."
The Fourth Prince remained silent because he could not respond to the Crown Prince's words.
The Crown Prince has an Emperor father above him and brothers and sisters below him; the Fourth Prince dared not accept this statement.
"Your Highness is joking."
The Crown Prince knew his fourth son's cautious nature, so he wasn't disappointed. He simply patted the fourth son's shoulder and said, "You go ahead with your work. I've already picked out a dog that I like. I'll head back now."
The young master chose a docile Pekingese dog, which was taken away by his dog, Haha Zhuzi, when he left.
The Fourth Prince stood there, his hands behind his back, exuding an imposing aura: "The Crown Prince didn't say anything just now, but I've remembered it all."
The servants in front of him hurriedly agreed.
Fourth Master looked at the lion cat being held by the servant, and pondered for a while: "Including that lion cat, pick two more dogs and one more cat. Su Peisheng, you stay here and keep an eye on things, only pick the docile ones."
Su Peisheng was now wondering when his master had become interested in these palace pets for entertainment.
When the Fourth Master came out of the Imperial Household Department and finished his business at the Ministry of Revenue and returned to the mansion, Su Peisheng realized that the pet his master had asked him to choose was not intended to be kept by his side.
"Send the lion cat and the larger Pekingese to the east courtyard. If Madam Li likes them, she can keep them; if not, she can send them back to the front courtyard. The other two will stay in the front courtyard for now, and will be sent there when the eldest princess turns one year old."
The Fourth Prince didn't see anything wrong with sending pets to both the First Princess and Lady Li to pass the time.
Li Chenjiao was quite happy to see the two beautiful cats and dogs. She asked about their breeds and really liked the lion cat.
Li Chenjiao suddenly remembered that her mother had mentioned the Fourth Prince's beloved dog when she was in her boudoir.
However, after Li Chenjiao entered the mansion, she never heard of any pets that the Fourth Master in the front courtyard kept.
Li Chenjiao wondered if Fourth Master was too embarrassed to keep the baby in the front yard, so he sent it to her yard instead.
Li Chenjiao likes both cats and dogs. If it's Fourth Master's beloved dog, she might as well keep it too, but it would be hard on the two maids and Xiao Luzi to take care of it.
While lost in thought, Li Chenjiao smiled and said to Su Peisheng.
"Thank you for making the trip, Eunuch Su. I like both of them very much, so I was thinking of keeping them in my courtyard. However, I don't have anyone here who knows how to raise them. After all, they were sent by the Fourth Master, and I'm afraid he would be upset if they were mistreated—"
Being intelligent people, Su Peisheng quickly understood Li Chenjiao's meaning: "The people serving here, Princess, are very fortunate. I will send a suitable person over later."
Li Chenjiao raised her hand and touched the jade hairpin at her temple.
Qiu Hu, who was standing to the side, took out a purse from his sleeve: "Eunuch Su, you've had a hard time making this trip. Let me see you off."
Su Peisheng's smile widened, and he bowed to Li Chenjiao before being escorted away from the East Courtyard by Qiu Hu.
As soon as Su Peisheng left, Qiu Ci stared curiously at the lion cat with heterochromatic eyes. The cat had already run to the rocking chair where Li Chenjiao usually sat.
That leisurely demeanor was indeed somewhat similar to Li Chenjiao's.
"This cat is so beautiful. I have never seen such a beautiful cat when I was working in the Imperial Household Department. Princess, please give it a name."
Li Chenjiao picked up the lion cat and leaned back in the rocking chair.
The cat wasn't afraid of strangers and quickly found a comfortable position in Li Chenjiao's arms.
Li Chenjiao slowly rocked in her rocking chair: "I suddenly feel like eating persimmons right now, so let's call it Persimmon."
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